Rail joint shim



April 1953 H. A. WREN 2,635,816

RAIL JOINT SHIM Filed May 1, 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to rail joint construction. More particularly, the invention has reference to equalizer members for incorporation in a rail joint, to be positioned between the ball of the joint and the fishplates.

One important object of the present invention is to provide greater strength to the joint, whereby to prevent breakage of the rail at or near the joint.

Another important object is to prevent wear of the rail ends at the heart of the joint and under the ball of the rail, by providing means whereby the wheels of a train will traverse the joint with a smoothness essentially the same as i that existing at the center of the rail.

Still another object is to provide a joint construction which will prevent the bolts of the joint from jarring loose or breaking, and which will restrain the joint from sagging, by taking the hammering pressure of the train wheels off the bolted portions of the joints.

Another object is to provide an equalizer memher for rail joints which will allow normal expansion of the rails.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rail joint formed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 22 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a, fragmentary top perspective view of one of the equalizer members.

Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the portion of the equalizer member seen in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conventional rail construction is illustrated including abutting rail ends I. Extending longitudinally of opposite faces of the webs of the rail ends are the angle plate 2 and flshplate 3. In the present construction, the horizontal top surfaces of said angle plate and fishplate are spaced below the ball of the rail to an extent suflicient to permit insertion of an equalizer member to be presently described. Additionally, the angle plate and fishplate are provided on their inner faces with longitudinal ribs, to thicken these members where the bolts 4 extend therethrough and through the rail web.

In accordance with the present invention I provide companion equalizer members 5 seated upon the angle plate and fishplate respectively, these having thickened medial portions proportioned to fit snugly in and fill the space between the ball of the rail and the top surfaces of the plates. Said thickened medial portion has a horizontal top surface sloped transversely as at 6 correspondingly to the slope of the underside of the ball of each rail end.

The end portions 1 of the equalizer member are sloped longitudinally, being inclined downwardly from the thickened medial portion toward the opposite ends of the equalizer member.

The equalizer members are formed with. horizontal bottom surfaces 8 contacting the top surfaces of the angle and fishplate, the inner side of each equalizer member being formed with an end-to-end longitudinal rib 9 extending below the plane of said horizontal bottom surface 8 so as to prevent lateral movement of the equalizer member relative to the plate on which it is seated. At opposite ends of each equalizer member depending end ribs ID are formed, engaging over opposite ends of the associated plate to prevent endwise slippage of the equalizer member.

An important characteristic of the invention resides in the capability thereof for resisting hammering of the train wheels as they pass over the joints. Heretofore, such hammering has been taken up by the bolt connections, with the result that bolts often jar loose or break. Additionally, the joints sag under these conditions. In accordance with the present invention, however, means is provided whereby, as a wheel approaches the line of contact between the abutting rails I, said wheel, exerting downward pressure upon the rail, will have its pressure transmitted to the equalizer member, which distributes the pressure longitudinally of the joint, in such a manner that at no time are particular bolts subjected to severe pressure tending to loosen the bolts or break them, or otherwise weaken the joint.

Additionally, important characteristics of the invention are believed to reside in the particular construction whereby wear of the rail ends at the line of contact between said ends is prevented, as well as wear under the ball of the rail, this wear tendency being reduced by reason of the fact that the construction causes the wheels to traverse the joint with a smoothness essentially the same as that existing at the center of the rail. At the same time, each rail is permitted its normal expansion action.

What is claimed is:

In a joint for connecting the abutting ends of railroad rails of the type comprising a base flange, a web carried by the base flange and extending "upwardly therefrom substantially mid way between opposite side edges thereof, and-a head carried by the web and extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof in spaced parallel relation to the base flange, plates mounted on the rails between the base flanges and the heads thereof, said plates overlapping the abutting ends of the rails, elongated equalizers mounted on the plates, thickenedportions carried by the equalizers intermediate the ends thereof and engaging the heads adjacent the abutting ends of the rails, a longitudinally extending depending flange carried by one longitudinal side edge of each equalizer and engaging an adjacent side of the web, and a transversely extending flange carried by each equalizer and depending therefrom adjacent each end thereof for engaging an adjacent end of a plate.

HARVEY A. WREN. 

